Letting Go
by teej.318
Summary: What happens in the moments after Ben Solo makes the choice to save Rey during the final battle. WARNING: This contains major spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker. Do not read if you haven't seen the movie yet!


Ben smiled at Rey once they pulled apart from the kiss. It was difficult given the amount of pain he was in, but for the first time in many years, Ben finally felt at peace. He hadn't felt this way since before Snoke had turned him into Kylo Ren, and he wondered how he could ever have possibly let this feeling go.

But, Ben also knew his time was limited now. He could feel the pull of the Force, calling him to become One with it. Although he was smiling, Ben felt sad that he was going to have to leave Rey behind. Although they had spent time fighting each other, Ben couldn't help but admire Rey for what she could do and that she could do it without being corrupted. In a way, Ben felt jealous of her, but at the same time, he felt peaceful knowing he had given her another chance at continuing the legacy of the Jedi.

Ben's breathing was becoming raspy now and it was difficult for him to keep his eyes open. He felt his body sliding down onto the ground, his eyes never leaving Rey's. Rey was staring back at him with concern in her eyes, but she seemed to understand that Ben's time had come. She didn't cry or beg for Ben to stay with her, but Ben knew she was sad about him leaving. Privately, Ben made a promise to always be with her in the Force before he closed his eyes for the final time.

Ben felt the life leave his body, and he felt as if he were being transplanted somewhere else without him actually moving. When everything seemed to stop moving around him, Ben remained on the ground, if he could call it that. He knew that he had died, but he could feel his spirit attempting to join the Netherworld of the Force. He could not move or speak, but he could still feel. It was agony and Ben was trying to fight it off.

_"Let go, you must, young Ben," said a voice he had only heard in visions. It was Master Yoda._

_What do I do? I need help._

_"Ben, you have to let go of your anger and your regret," came the voice of his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker._

_Grandfather! What do I do? I need help!_

_"Everything will be okay, Ben," said the gentle voice of his uncle, Luke. "Just listen to the others and let go."_

_Luke! What's happening to me? What do I need to do?_

_"Ben," said a voice that caused Ben to freeze. It was his mother. "Let go of your torment and anguish. Come back to me, Ben."_

_Mom!_

Ben stilled his breathing, attempting to calm himself down. He relaxed his thoughts and focused not on the negative of what he had done as Kylo Ren, but of the good he did by helping Rey and sacrificing his life to save hers. As he focused on the good he had done, Ben could feel his body manifest into something different. It was as if he were becoming corporeal, but he wasn't coming back to life. He knew his spirit was becoming One with the Force. Finally, the process stopped and Ben felt at peace once again. He realized he had a form, even though he was a spirit. He slowly opened his eyes.

Several people were standing around Ben, smiling at him. Their presence was soothing, even if he didn't quite know who they all were. He recognized some of them, including Leia, Luke and Anakin, but there were others he hadn't ever met in life. Somehow, he knew who they were; the Force was guiding him as never before.

"Good it is, to see you redeemed and a Jedi once again, young Ben," said Master Yoda.

"Yes, you have helped restore balance to the Force, just as Anakin once did," said Qui-Gon Jinn.

"Why are you here?" Ben asked. "All of you?"

"We've always been with you, Ben," said Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was smiling warmly at him. "Even after you fell, we were always with you."

"Forgive me, master Jedi," Ben said as he kneeled in front of the Jedi who had gathered.

"Ben, there is nothing to forgive," said Anakin, who looked older than Ben would have imagined him. Hearing his grandfather speaking words of comfort to him soothed Ben. "You were manipulated, just as I was, but you proved that you are a true Jedi by redeeming yourself."

Ben nodded and stood again.

"The greatest teacher, failure is," Yoda said. Luke turned to look at Yoda and grinned for a moment before he faced Ben. "But, redeemed you now are, young Solo. Proud you should be of what you have done for the galaxy and the Jedi."

"Thank you, Master Yoda," Ben said before he turned to his mother and his uncle, who were both looking at him with deep expressions on their face.

"We'll give you all some time alone," Anakin said, nodding to the rest of the Jedi spirits, who all nodded at Ben before they disappeared.

"Luke," Ben said, hurrying over to his uncle. "I'm sorry."

"No, Ben, I'm the one who needs to apologize," Luke said. "If I hadn't been so quick to judge you and not acted on impulse, maybe we both could have prevented this. But the past is in the past, Ben. And you have proven yourself as a Jedi. I'm very proud of you, my nephew."

Luke gave Ben a hug. Although they were not physical beings, Ben could still feel the warmth of Luke's hug and it helped to heal his heart. When they broke apart, Ben turned to look at Leia, who was looking at him with tears in her eyes.

"Mom..." was all Ben could say before he burst into tears. Leia pulled Ben into her embrace and hugged him tightly was Ben sobbed.

"I know, Ben, I know," Leia whispered into his ear. "It's all right, son. Everything is all right now."

"I killed him," Ben wailed. "How could you ever forgive me for that?"

"You didn't kill him, Ben. Kylo Ren killed him and he is no more. I always held hope that there was light within you, Ben. That's why I called out to you through the Force. I knew that it would help you come back home to us and bring you back into the Light."

Ben nodded as he continued to sob into his mother's shoulder. He cried for several more moments before he finally calmed down and broke the hug from his mother. Leia was still beaming at Ben, and she had tears of her own falling on her cheeks.

"Now what happens?" Ben asked.

Leia turned to Luke, who answered.

"A thousand generations now live in Rey," he said. "She will carry on the legacy of the Jedi and continue to provide peace to the galaxy."

"And we will be with her, always," Leia said.

Ben nodded in understanding.

"The Force will be with her," Ben said. "And we will be. Always."


End file.
